Dr. José Rivera Honored for Distinguished Service to Choral Music

On a cold, brisk morning in Moore Hall, the quiet was broken only by the soft cadence of keys as Dr. José Rivera leaned over his Yamaha Clavinova, score open, preparing for University Choir rehearsal.

For Rivera, that quiet preparation — studying the relationship between soprano, alto, tenor and bass, shaping the “bigger picture” of a choral work — reflects the same dedication that earned him the 2025 Lara Hoggard Award for Distinguished Service in Choral Music. The honor was presented during the North Carolina Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (NC-ACDA) conference at Queens University in Charlotte.

The Lara Hoggard Award, established in 1986, recognizes distinguished accomplishments and service to choral music across North Carolina. Rivera, a longtime professor of Music at UNC Pembroke, has been involved with ACDA since his college days. He has served the organization for more than 30 years — including as past president of NC-ACDA — said the recognition is deeply meaningful.

“This is a very humbling moment in my life,” Rivera said. “To be nominated by esteemed colleagues from around the state — people who are very talented and dedicated who have given their lives to teaching and performing choral music — is a huge honor. To be in the footsteps of many of my colleagues of whom I respect and value and have great admiration, to be amongst them, is an incredible experience that I cannot put into words. It is very humbling.”

Dr. Joseph Van Hassel, chair of the Department of Music, said Rivera’s recognition reflects a lifetime of dedication to choral excellence and music education.

Dr. Rivera’s distinguished career reflects decades of unwavering service to music education and choral artistry.

“Dr. Rivera’s distinguished career reflects decades of unwavering service to music education and choral artistry. Through his leadership at the state, national and international levels, he has earned the deep respect of colleagues around the world. This prestigious recognition is a fitting tribute to his extraordinary impact," Van Hassell. said.

Rivera, who has conducted the University Choir for 15 years, credits his students as his greatest teachers.

“You have a plan of what you want to teach them, but the process, what it means to them, that’s what shapes you as an educator,” he said.

Under his direction, UNCP choral students have performed at Carnegie Hall, traveled to Mexico City and Puerto Rico and collaborated with institutions including Sandhills Community College and Pinecrest High School. Many of his former students now serve as music educators and leaders across the state. Some have earned Teacher of the Year honors at the county and state levels, while others are completing doctoral degrees in choral music education.

“Students reaching new heights and making a difference in the world — that is what this award is all about,” Rivera said. “The music is a way to get there.”

Beyond performance, Rivera believes choral music plays a powerful role in building community.

“You become part of a community when you sing in a choir,” he said. “It provides a space for students to be who they are, a space for them to belong to something bigger than themselves.”

Rivera said his long-standing involvement with ACDA has profoundly shaped his professional journey, connecting him with conductors and educators across the state, nation and world. Through those connections, he has brought guest clinicians and conductors to UNCP and created opportunities for students to participate in intercollegiate and statewide choral events.

Being the first Latin American recipient of the Lara Hoggard Award is especially significant to Rivera.

“It is very special,” he said. “What I am most proud of is that someone from this university, UNC Pembroke, received it. That is a first as well. I have given my life to something I love.”